LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 31
- AIDS is a disease only for gays.
AIDS affects all of us. Men having sex with men are
more vulnerable to HIV because of unprotected anal
sex, but over 90 percent of all HIV infections occur
through heterosexual sex, including anal sex. The issue
is unprotected sex regardless of sexual orientation.
More than 50 percent of all new infections are amont
young people. Many of these young people may be
involved in sexual activity with samex sex persons.
A supportive environment is necessary for children
to practice their skills, and parents, teachers,
community leaders and others need to be sensitized.
Their cooperation must be elicited. When the Life
Skills Education Program links with people who
interact with children on a daily basis, a supportive
environment is created for children.
Experience from the field
We had to go from house to house to explain the
activity. We had to talk to community members
and panchayats (local bodies). (SFDRT, Positive
Living Project, Namakkal)
All staff, parents needs to be informed; they should
not give conflicting messages. (CCDT, Mumbai)
When parents heard that children were receiving
information about sex and reproduction, they
became concerned about ‘putting ideas’ in their
children’s minds. The YWCA organized a
number of parent meetings for sharing life skills
sessions before being implemented with children.
The sessions were of tremendous help in
reducing parents’ anxieties. As a result, parents
felt respected and, in fact, many became vocal
supporters of the program. (YWCA, Delhi).LINKING WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
Linking the Life Skills Education Program with
other NGOs and services is essential for maximizing
impact. These linkages will create a demand for
many services, which must be sensitive to the needs
of children and young people (See next section on
Youth Friendly Services).From experience
The life skills sessions are directly followed by the
counseling session. All counseling issues
discussed arise out of the life skills sessions in the
organization. (Dancing Feet Program of CCDT)
All life skills sessions have recently been linked
with dance sessions already taking place in the
various community centers within the project.
The life skills sessions help the children to
greater and more clearly express feelings and
perceptions using the body. (YWCA, Delhi)LINKING LIFE SKILLS WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
The Life Skills Education Program demands a
multisectoral response to be effective. A Life Skills
Education Program is best implemented within
ongoing education, vocational and shelter
programs. Life skills can be practically
demonstrated and applied to different situations.